Research Researchers, engineers, and inventors at UGA earned the highest recognition for their fields in 2026
These University of Georgia faculty members have been elected to membership in the national academies in 2025-26. These distinctions recognize their collective achievement as scholars, leaders, and innovators whose work has made an indelible impact in their fields.
Robert Schmitz, a UGA Foundation Professor, Lars G. Ljungdahl Distinguished Investigator, and UGA Distinguished Research Professor, studies how genetic and epigenetic variation enables plants to thrive in different environments. Schmitz’s team is also developing new methods to identify DNA sequences that can enhance crop performance.
Samantha Joye, Regents’ Professor and UGA Athletic Association Professor of Arts and Sciences, was elected to the National Academy of Engineering—one of the highest professional distinctions for engineers and scientists—for her work studying the interplay between microbes and large-scale environmental processes in the ocean.
One of UGA’s top marine science scholars, Joye’s work has explored the impact of the world’s largest oil spill, developed new methods for measuring microbial activity, and explored extreme deep-sea environments. Garnering tens of thousands of citations and hundreds of publications, her scholarship places her among the top marine science researchers globally.
UGA experts in cellular biology, vaccines and immunology, and complex carbohydrates were named Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science this year. One of the most prestigious scientific organizations in the country, the AAAS recognizes those who contribute to their fields and to the advancement of the sciences as a whole.
Mark Tompkins, UGA Athletic Association Distinguished Professor in Virology and Immunology, researches influenza virus emergence and advances public health strategies that can combat future outbreaks or pandemics. Tompkins directs UGA’s Center for Influenza Disease and Emergence Research (CIDER), a multi-institutional research center funded by the National Institutes of Health.
In recognition of their innovations in biochemical engineering and plant breeding, Yajun Yan and John Ruter have been elected Fellows in the National Academy of Inventors, the highest professional distinction for academic inventors.
Yajun Yan, a professor in the College of Engineering, develops sustainable processes to produce valuable compounds through microbial engineering. His recent innovations include a scalable way to manufacture the chemical precursor to serotonin, a crucial ingredient in nutritional supplements and animal health applications.
